Sea Mercy is a US based 501(c)3 non-profit organization with a mission to "stand in the gap" with service delivery vessels, trained health volunteers, support equipment, and critical care services as island nations develop their "outer island" infrastructures. Due to distance and a lack of service delivery vessels, there is a huge disparity between the services offered on the primary islands, to those available on the remote islands. Working directly with our island nation partner's health ministries and leadership, Sea Mercy provides free Floating Health Care Clinics (FHCC), which also serve as training and educational platforms and as disaster response vessels for these neglected remote island citizens of the South Pacific. Our goals as an NGO partner is as follows: 1. To develop effective and supportive working relationships with our island nation partners. 2. To provide and operate a Floating Health Care Clinic (FHCC) and service delivery platform for each of the 11 targeted island nations who do not have health care and disaster relief programs for their remote island citizens. 3. To deliver consistent service to the remote island citizens we serve. 4. To train our island nation partners to eventually take over the FHCC operations and funding via their own resources. 5. To engage the international health care community to volunteer and serve the people of the South Pacific. 6. To provide a platform for other educational, economic development and vital programs to be delivered.

Implementation methodologies

We operate from a fleet of large sailing catamarans (45'-65'), whose design and operational abilities are perfect service delivery platforms for serving and delivering remote island programs. The advantages are as follows: 1. Our vessels shallow draft allows us to access any remote lagoon or harbor. 2. Their size and carrying capacity allows us to deliver the staff, supplies and services needed. 3. Their use of "sail" power vs. engines, greatly reduces our operational costs and extends our range of service. 4. The dual-hull design of a catamaran provides for a more stable working platform than single hull vessels and greater speed. Examples: In 2013 we operated a FHCC for in Tonga, delivering health care services staff, treatment and supplies to their remote islands (treating over 1,100 patients). January-May of 2014, we have filled the role of disaster relief vessel for the remote islands of Tonga (Ha'apai Group) what was devastated by cyclone Ian. We continue to deliver food, water, equipment and staff needed to help support the remote islands until their infrastructure can be rebuilt on those remote islands. We negotiated the donation of $170,000 in emergency relief medical supplies from Fiji to Tonga following the above cyclone and delivered those supplies to Tonga on our FHCC vessels. July through October of 2014, we will be providing a four FHCC vessels for the remote islands of Tonga (Ha'apai and Vava'u Groups) and Fiji (Yasawa, northern Lau and southern Lau Groups).

Arrangements for Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer

With the availability and access to a service delivery platform that can reach and access each/any remote island within an island nation partner, all local and international initiatives can now include all the islands, not just the primary islands.

Coordination mechanisms/governance structure

Working directly with our island nation partners and international aid organizations initiatives and agenda's in mind, we schedule regular and consistent delivery of local and international health care teams and supplies, and disaster relief aid (food, water, shelter and medical supplies) to their remote islands that do not have access to such services.

Partner(s)

Sea Mercy is currently partnered and has an active service deliver program with the Health Ministries of:
The Republic of Fiji
The Kingdom of Tonga

Deliverables

2014+

Health Care Services to Remote Islands (medical, dental, eye)

2014+

Economic Development & Training

2014+

Educational Initiatives (school, adult)

2014+

Disaster Relief/Recovery Services

Sustainable Development Goals and targets

Goal 3

Resources devoted to implementation

Staff / Technical expertise

Captains, international health care volunteers,

Other, please specify

Service Delivery Platform - Sailing Catamarans (45-65\' in length)

Other, please specify

Transportation and housing of volunteers during remote island visits/travel